Debate Watch: Will Veterans Issues Take Center Stage?
Tonight the two presidential candidates take the stage in Colorado at the University of Denver for the first of four debates, with their first showdown focusing on domestic policy. Will veterans’ issues be a topic? We certainly hope so.
The Augusta (Georgia) Chronicle explores that very question today, offering a quick round-up of key veterans issues in this year’s election environment:
Veterans face an increasing backlog in service claims at the Department of Veterans Affairs, 6.6 percent unemployment and a suicide rate of 18 deaths per day. According to a report from the VA inspector general in April, only 49 percent of veterans seeking mental evaluations received treatment within the recommended 14 days. The average wait time was 50 days.
The report might also have mentioned high unemployment among veterans (10.9 percent for Iraq and Afghanistan vets as of last month); waste and inefficiency in the VA including overpayments and profligate spending on training conferences for bureaucrats; and the national scandal of declining military voting, which looks to be at record lows this year.
The Chronicle quotes one veterans’ advocate who emphasizes that veterans are looking for “a leader that can make the executive branch work with the House and Senate.” Good point—working together has not been a strong suit for either party in Washington in recent years.
And of course, a key policy issue we’ll be watching for during the debate is the question of how the candidates intend to tackle the looming budget cuts under sequestration, which is just three months away.
In case you missed it, I wrote yesterday in U.S. News and World Report about questions that the veterans community would like to see answered in a debate, based on your feedback. You can submit your question over at our “Debate Sound-Off” page
Pete Hegseth is the CEO of Concerned Veterans for America, and the former executive director of Vets for Freedom. Hegseth is an infantry officer in the Army National Guard, and has served tours in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Guantanamo Bay.
Ed Payne
Oct 04, 2012 @ 09:55:21
So our choice boils down to:
Obamacare vs Romneycare which still means government involvement in the medical industry, a recipe for disaster either way. Even if Romney wins and implements Romneycare, the Left will take it and double down the next time they get control.
Secure SS vs revamp SS, the devils in the details, both have merit but not clear how.
Both want to continue federal involvement in Education by additional billions and increased domination. This is puzzling to me as ALL of the lawsuits involving Education vs god vs prayer vs pledge of Allegiance etc., are because of the federal use of tax dollars in education vs the constitution. Eliminate the Department of Education, move the authority/responsibly back to the states and there is no longer a conflict and no more lawsuits. But it is clear to me that Romney will not go against his party or the special interests.
Unclear to me yet, what is going on with taxes but looks like both want to keep overall tax levels where they are which is concerning as no cuts in spending were really highlighted, so more and more debt.
Both seem to think the deficit/debt issue is something to be solved when it is convenient. When they talk trillions in tax cuts, this is over decades, which is a few billion per year, which will not stop us from accruing 3 or 4 trillion more in debt.
No substantive discussion of the military other than Romney saying he won’t cut it. Don’t understand how he can, on the surface, increase spending without real cuts. He highlighted cutting NPR’s funding but that won’t pay for the F-22.
Overall, I was very disappointed in the debate content. Granted, I think Romney “destroyed” Obama but not sure that really means anything.
Ed Payne
Oct 03, 2012 @ 19:29:21
“Center State” will be occupied by the “News People” explaining to us what the candidate really said because none of us understand English!